The present invention relates generally to optical techniques and more particularly to a technique for multiplexing and intensity splitting a plurality of different light beams into a plurality of substantially identical light beams, which technique is especially suitable for use as part of dye laser apparatus.
As indicated immediately above, the present invention is particularly suitable for use as part of an overall dye laser apparatus which may include a dye laser oscillator for initially producing a dye laser beam or a dye laser amplifier for amplifying an already produced beam. In either case, copper vapor laser (CVL) beams are typically used to excite a supply of dye solution in order to produce or amplify the dye beam. In an actual overall apparatus which uses a chain of dye amplifiers, copper vapor laser beams are directed into opposite sides of each dye cell forming part of each amplifier in the chain. As a result, it is necessary to provide a number of CVL beams at the same time. It is desirable that these beams be substantially identical in terms of temporal and spatial information, but the intensity can be controlled separately from each beam. As will be seen hereinafter, the present invention provides an uncomplicated, reliable and yet economical technique for converting a plurality of CVL beams that may differ into substantially identical CVL beams and cooperating means for individually directing these identical beams into cooperating dye cells.